Stacks upon stacks of non-perishable cans scatter around sponsor Casey Ann Woronowich’s storage closet as she prepares for a student-ran food drive. These cans are donated from the hearts of Can’d Club, an operation where students donate cans and other necessities to a variety of local donation locations.

Can’d Club is a newly founded organization dedicated to collecting non-perishable goods and organizing donation drives for those in need, such as the Wando food pantry and the Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach center.

Woronowich stores the donations in her classroom closet for the convenience of members.

“On donation weeks, there is a lot of kids coming in and dropping off donations so having the space to accept all those donations and just making myself available before school for those days, just so they’re not carrying around cans is important,” Woronowich said.

Collecting donations is just the first step. The next step in the donation process is to head to the food pantries, whether it is within the campus or a thirty minute drive downtown. In appreciation of the holidays, Can’d Club is not only donating food, but Halloween costumes as well so that every child can have the equal opportunity to celebrate.

“This month we did can donations or food donations, and then we’re going to food pantries. One in downtown Charleston and then we’re also donating to the food pantry at Wando. I believe our next drive of donations will be Halloween costumes,” Woronowich said.

Despite being a sponsor for an abundance of clubs in the past, Woronowich is evidently impressed with the efficiency of Can’d Club.

“I was overwhelmingly shocked with the amount of participants in a club, because I’ve sponsored clubs before and sometimes they fizzle out,” Woronowich said. “The marketing that they do, and the way that they brought the kids into the club, I think was substantial best that I’ve ever seen. I feel like this club grew so big so quickly, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.”

Even though Woronowich has tremendously helped the club by providing them with supervision and a home, she gives all credit to the masterminds behind the donations, the student presidents of Can’d Club.

“I’m just the sponsor. I kind of oversee everything but our executive board and our president basically does the majority of the work,” Woronowich said.

Sophomore Josslyn Creech, one of three presidents of Can’d Club, is in charge of all of the responsibilities that come with running a charitable club.

“We put all the donations and service hours together, and organize the cans and bring them and then we just like help our members,” Creech said.

During each meeting, the presidents are well prepared to inform the members of future events and goals for the club all while answering their questions and feedback.

“We just talk about the next events that we’re doing, what people should donate, who they should bring it to, and how they should donate… Most people just ask questions about it and say they’re interested in going for the volunteer hours,” Creech said.

Within meetings or donation drives, Creech along with the other presidents have been impressed by the amount of students who share the desire to help others in need.

“Yesterday we went to the homeless shelter and organized cans and it’s really special to see how people live and get their food,” Creech said. “We’re really proud of how many members have been interested in it.”

Not only is freshman Cassandra Luc new to Wando, but she is new to the club this year as well. Luc finds the club a good opportunity to not only do good deeds, but to share this interest with new friends.

“I’m kind of excited to go with a group of people because I don’t really know anyone outside of the three [presidents], so it’d be nice to meet other people,” Luc said.

Although the service hours that the club provides will help students with college applications and their overall resume, Luc believes other students should join not for the academic benefits, but out of kindness.

“Join this club, not because it looks good on your application, but out of the goodness of your heart. Some people aren’t as fortunate as others and having this opportunity, you’re helping other people,” Luc said.